College Sports Information Directors of America

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• San José State Legend and CoSIDA Hall of Famer Lawrence Fan Passes Away
 

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Pictured above: An “SID team photo” of athletic communications professionals who gathered to honor Fan at the Celebration of Life event (L to R): Mark Corbet, Doug Vance, Bill Powers, Rose Gatti, Herb Benenson, Tim Tessalone, Charlie Fiss, Bob Vazquez



by Bob Vazquez (Retired SID – UC Santa Barbara, Stanford University, CSUN)
 
San Jose, Ca. – On a picture-perfect day (April 9) in the Bay Area, all of us shared a few tears and expressed many memorable stories about one of the greats in the world of collegiate sports communications.  
 
More than 1,000 family, friends and colleagues filed into the football stadium at San José State to celebrate the life of the late Lawrence Fan, who for more than 42 years was a champion in publicizing the merits of the student-athletes and coaches at SJS.
 
 
The distinguished guest list included several current and past SJS teams (including members of the 1984 NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four team), SJS head football coach Brent Brennan, Dr. Harry Edwards, many members of the Bay Area news media, and many current and former collegiate media relations directors who worked with Lawrence Fan throughout the years.
 
Also in attendance were several distinguished members of CoSIDA including Doug Vance (Executive Director) along with CoSIDA Hall of Famers Rosa Gatti (retired from ESPN), Charlie Fiss (current Goodyear Cotton Bowl historian), Max Corbet (retired from Boise State), and Jack Neumann (retired from the University of Calgary).
 
“Lawrence Fan was born with the ability and the purpose to change someone’s life and he never wasted it,” said Vance. “Lawrence was a trailblazer to our national organization and our profession. He was a strong voice who championed equity and diversity in our association. He was among our founders of our diversity and inclusion committee. He impacted so many people in our organization. He had many great friends across the spectrum of collegiate athletics. We are all so much better for knowing him.”
 
 
Lawrence’ home was always San José State. He always placed SJS student-athletes before himself, never forgot a name, always knew the details of their bio and treated everybody like an All-American.
 
Sierra Painter played water polo (2016-2020) at SJS. She chalked up success both in the pool and in the classroom not only as a team co-captain and also has an academic scholar. 
 
“Humble, kind, a genuine human being,” Painter said of Lawrence Fan. “He always projected the student-athlete in the best light. He made all of us feel like super stars.”
 
On Nov. 11, 2021, Lawrence worked his 500^th consecutive San José State football game – just a remarkable feat.
 
“Lawrence Fan was perfectly authentic,” said Spartan head football coach Brent Brennan. “He is what is right about college athletics. Loyalty, hard-work and dedication characterize Lawrence. I will miss his support … an incredible human being.”
 
 
Lawrence was born in San Francisco, graduated from Lowell High School and received an economics degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1976. He later earned his master’s degree at Western Illinois in 1978. However, his journey led to the start of a dynamic career in sports information at LaSalle University. In 1980, Lawrence returned to the Bay Area where he accepted the Sports Information Director position at San José State in 1980.
 
Lawrence had opportunities to move to higher profile universities, but San José State was his forever home. “My work is not done here at San José State,” he politely once told San Jose Mercury-News columnist Mark Purdy, who told Lawrence about an media relations opening at his alma, UC Berkeley. Yes, indeed, his home and his legacy would be forever etched at San José State University. 
 
Dr. Harry Edwards, noted civil rights activist, played basketball and competed in track & field at San José State. “There are those who appreciate their jobs and the relevance on what they do,” said Dr. Edwards. “He (Lawrence) considered his work a calling. He loved San José State. He loved the people he served, especially the student-athletes and coaches. He always looked for and emphasized what he saw as the best in everyone he encountered.”
 
 
Lawrence had a tradition of making spice cake (no frosting) to replace hot dogs or pizza in the press room at a Spartan home game. He would bake the cake on the morning of the game. It was appropriate that spice cake was served today. Lawrence was not only a talented sports communicator, but also a talented baker in the kitchen. 
 
As the day ended, it was announced that Lawrence Fan would be the sole inductee into this year’s Hall of Fame class at San José State.
 
“Well done, my brother,” said Dr. Edwards. “You will not be forgotten.”